Dark Choices
by savedprincess85
Summary: Regulus Black has no choice in the matter of the way his life will go until he discovers the darkness that the Dark Lord is hiding. Written for the Season 7 QL.


_**BEATER 2**__: The Adumu Dance from Africa; write about a character that breaks a familial or societal tradition._

_Special thinks to the girls on my team, without whom, this story would not be posted! _

_Word count before A/n: 1411_

Regulus Black didn't want the future that was ahead of him. When Sirius had run away to live with James Potter, Regulus had been jealous of the fact that his brother was free of the societal restrictions that were strangling the two of them.

It was now expected, as the newly appointed heir, that he would follow in his father's footsteps. He would marry a pureblood in an arranged marriage, have little pureblood children, and run the family holdings. This was the way it had been for as long as the family tree had been recorded. And since his father was a follower of the Dark Lord, he would be as well.

His father saw to his marking as soon as the Dark Lord would allow it. Granted at the time, he still believed enough to want to dabble in the dark arts, but as he became more aware of the world around him, it became more and more apparent that the Dark Lord couldn't sustain the kingdom he hoped to create. Regulus realized his hate for the Dark Mark that colored his skin too late though.

Being best friends with Severus Snape, a half-blood, helped him see that it wasn't blood that mattered, rather a person's loyalty. His realization of the fallacy of purebloods ruling the rest of the world was too little too late.

Then, he discovered the very most horrific of secrets the Dark Lord was hiding. The mark on his arm itched just thinking of the darkness Voldemort had created. The man was utterly insane, craving immortality. That was when he knew for sure that Voldemort was not the right ruler for the world.

Kreacher, dear, disgusting Kreacher, was the key to the downfall of Voldemort. When the Dark Lord requested the use of his house-elf, he gladly gave him over to help in whatever way Kreacher could, with the order to return once the Dark Lord was finished with him.

The memory of his elf returning haunted him. "Master…" Kreacher popped into the room, weak and barely alive. He had orders to return and so he obeyed. Voldemort hadn't known that Regulus could circumvent any orders of secrecy that he may try to create in his elf.

"Master... I have completed the Dark Lord's bidding," Kreacher fell in front of Regulus. Before his mother could hear the elf, Regulus levitated him to his room and nursed him back to health with a rejuvenation potion and a bezoar stone. How dare the Dark Lord almost kill his elf! Did he not understand respect for someone else's property?

When Kreacher had woken up, he explained what had transpired with the Dark Lord. The truth of the Dark Lord's cunning and clear insanity hit him like a rogue bludger. Using Legilimency, Regulus saw the locket and the way into the cave. Immediately he began to create a plan to help destroy the Dark Lord. Regulus knew then that he would die in that cave. He would die, and only Kreacher would know. As much as he wished it could be different, he trusted Kreacher to keep the secret and to destroy the Horcrux.

Regulus created a necklace that was a replica of the one hidden in the cave. The locket was once Salazar Slytherin's, an old ugly thing, and thankfully there was enough documentation of what it looked like, along with Kreacher's memory of the locket, for Regulus to recreate it.

He wrote a note and placed it in the locket. He wanted Voldemort to know who helped kill him, that one of his very own Death Eaters had helped destroy him in the end. The irony alone was enough to put a smile on Regulus' face.

It had been a few months since the Dark Lord had used Kreacher to place the locket in the cave. Regulus knew it was now or never. Sirius would be safe with the Potters. Regulus' parents would be disappointed in their heir's death, but it would be a fitting end to the Black family.

"Kreacher!" Regulus called for his house-elf.

"Yes, Master," Kreacher said when he popped into the room.

"I need you to take me to the cave the Dark Lord took you to," he told the house-elf.

The look on Kreacher's face was full of remorse and fear. "Master, I can take you. But the place is bad, very bad."

Regulus held out his hand and with reluctance, Kreacher took his it, and Apparated them to the entrance to the cave.

"Thank you, Kreacher," he acknowledged the elf. Regulus cut his hand and wiped the blood on the stone for it to open. Kreacher led him to the boat and eventually they made it across the lake.

Regulus could feel the dark magic strongly in the cave. He was afraid but resolute to carry on with the plan, knowing he would not leave this cave.

Kreacher showed him the basin that held the potion. He could see the fear on his elf's face. Regulus walked slowly to the basin and scooped the potion into the shell. "Kreacher, no matter what, make me drink all of this potion. Once it is drunk, take this locket," Regulus held out the fake Horcrux, "and use it to replace the one in the basin. Then leave this place and destroy the locket. Do whatever you need to in order to destroy it. Tell no one what has happened. Leave me here. Do not try to save me, do you understand my orders?"

"No! Master! Let me drink the potion!" Kreacher screamed, clutching Regulus' cloak.

"Kreacher, stop this instant. You have a job to complete. Do you understand my orders?" Regulus rebuked him firmly.

"Yes, Master," Kreacher responded as he watched Regulus take the first drink.

The potion tasted horrible, bitter like eggplant, dark chocolate, and black licorice all rolled into one. The more Regulus drank, the harder it became. He saw the regrets of his young life. He regretted turning his back on his brother, allowing his parents to rule his life, and taunting the Muggle-born students in his class. Kreacher raised the shell one last time to his master's lips, and with tears streaming down his face, Regulus drank the final cup of potion.

"I need something to drink," Regulus sobbed out weakly, as he crawled to the lake.

He took no notice of the house-elf as Kreacher exchanged the lockets. He took no notice of the hands reaching out to drag him under. All Regulus could feel was the anguish of losing his only brother and the regret of a life not lived in the light. His last waking thought as he slowly descended into the depths of the lake with hands grasping his body, was that Voldemort was one step closer to death. And that put a smile on his face.


End file.
